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Emergency Alert System
This section of our technical library presents articles written about Emergency Alert Systems and Disaster Recovery definitions, terms and related information.
The 911Broadcast emergency notification and alert service can deliver a large number of phone calls using a network of phone systems employing digital phone lines simultaneously. Should a disaster such as a snow storm, wild fire or flood hit your area, 911Broadcast systems can alert your community quickly providing specific instructions if an evacuation is required.
This service is available using our emergency broadcasting systems. If a dangerous chemical spill occurs in your community, you can target specific areas to call. If a severe snow storm hits your area, your community can be notified of school closings or event cancellations.
Industrial Alert Systems
The following is an extract from the article "Industries Launch Warning System" from the Edmonton Journal by Duncan Thorne.
"Industries northeast of Edmonton banded together to launch a high-tech warning system Thursday that is the first of its kind in Canada.
The move follows criticism that BP Canada delayed telling neighbours about an explosion and fire in 2001, for nearly 10 hours, at its plant near Fort Saskatchewan.
"It's really cool because now we can meet public expectations," Randy Jones, BP's operations-centre manager, said after the launch. "We can fulfil the role of being the information provider that is really critical in this situation."
THE INDUSTRIES INVOLVED SAY THE SYSTEM, WHICH RELIES ON TECHNOLOGY FROM TELUS, IS UNIQUE ON TWO COUNTS:
- It uses the Web to gather geographic information so an automated call-out system can warn the people who are at risk in an emergency.
- It includes another automated phone line -- 1-866-653-9959 -- people can call for information on industrial accidents or unexpected activities that worry them.
But there were tense moments at a demonstration of the call-out system for municipal officials from across the region north and northeast of Edmonton.
Organizers from Telus set up the system to dial the officials' cellphones, then told a computer to call them. They promised it would connect within a minute -- a minute that felt nerve-rackingly long before there was a chorus of phone rings from around the hall.
"A minute's a long time when you're sitting and waiting for something," Grant Berry of Telus Geomatics said afterwards. "We were nervous because of the crowd here, but we're very confident in our technology."
The system relies on Web-based GIS -- geographical information systems -- to zoom in on a map of a problem area. An operator can then circle all houses and businesses within a specified range of the problem, and have the computer dial all phones within the circle.
The system can call at least 1,500 homes in an hour. The area covered by the Northeast Region Community Awareness and Emergency Response system has about 10,000 phones, connecting to about 40,000 people.
The area wraps around Edmonton from Morinville to the northwest, Lamont to the northeast and southwards beyond Sherwood Park. Fort Saskatchewan, with the largest concentration of industrial plants, has about 14,000 people.
The criticism of BP over its fire was that it delayed activating its existing local warning system. There are strict protocols about when to use the new system....."
To view the entire article, please visit the Edmonton Journal website.
Emergency Broadcast System Phones and Networks
DSC provides the most comprehensive emergency phone solutions and emergency services for the emergency broadcast system marketplace today. Whether you need to purchase your own emergency phone dialer or utilize our emergency dialing service, you can rely on us to deliver your alert messages.
When an emergency arises in your community, our emergency phone systems and service can contact your residents quickly and efficiently.
Should a disaster such as a forest fire or chemical spill threaten your residents, we can provide emergency alerts and evacuation instructions immediately.
Plus our emergency autodialers can connect calls to members of your emergency response team who are working at home or in remote locations.
Contact DSC for a FREE analysis and quote and to learn more about our emergency autodialers and services.
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